Software architecture and design of the Kontur-2 mission

Abstract

This paper describes the software architecture and design of the space segment, communication and ground segment software of the Kontur-2 project, which contributed to the realization of telepresent planetary exploration. The main research objectives in Kontur-2 were the development and in-flight verification of a space qualified two degree of freedom (DoF) force-feedback joystick (RJo) inside the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station (ISS), the implementation of telepresence technologies and the study of human performance when controlling a force feedback joystick in microgravity. The project was conducted from 2012 to 2015 by a consortium consisting of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), The Russian State Scientific Center for Robotics and Technical Cybernetics (RTC), S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (RSC "Energia") and the Yuri A. Gagarin State Scientific Researchand-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC). The DLR conducted two sets of experiments in which a cosmonaut on ISS used RJo to perform different tasks with robots located on-ground. The first set was conducted with a two DoF robot equipped with a camera system, a task board and torque sensors that allowed the cosmonaut to perceive forces caused by contacts with the environment. For the second set of experiments we used a humanoid robot to perform a tele-handshake and a cooperative task between the cosmonaut on ISS and colleagues at RTC in St. Petersburg.

Knowledge Driven Orbit-to-Ground Teleoperation of a Robot Coworker

“…In 2015-2017, DLR and Roscosmos investigated a telepresence approach for crewed command of surface robots in the Kontur-2 project [16] [17]. A 2-Degree Of Freedom (DOF) force-feedback joystick for commanding surface robots from microgravity was evaluated in 33 ISS sessions.…”

Review and prospects of orbit-to-surface teleoperation

“…KONTUR工程专项由ROSCOSMOS和DLR联合 开展, 由空间站内的航天员通过笔记本电脑和力反馈 操纵器遥操作地面机器人执行作业任务 [12] . 项目主要 通过两组在轨试验来研究在轨对地遥操作过程中远程 图 2 (网络版彩图)月球漫游车在月面部署射电望远镜(来 源: NASA) 验中人机交互设备的优化设计提供依据 [19,20] .…”